Gate latch



Feb. 12, 1952 G W, SCHWEn-ZER 2,585,177

GATE LATCH Filed April 2o, 195o INVENTOR JWWSW ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 12, 1,952

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 2,585,177 GATE LATCH George W. Schweitzer, Philadelphia, Pa. l Application April zo, 195o, serial No. 157,012 connus. (ci. 292-150) This invention relates to a locking rod for use on closure devices such as gates, doors, and the like, which rod is adapted to cooperate with a ring or surrounding keeper in amanner which will appear more fully hereinafter. The invention has been developed primarily as a safety device for use on folding gates of the pantographic type such as are employed at the head ofstairs or other dangerous places where children must be protected against injury.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device which will prevent a child from opening the gate while at the same time permitting ready actuation thereof by those in charge of the child or others authorized to pass the gate.

More specically stated, the objects of my invention include the provision of a locking rod for the purpose described which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture and easily applied to the gate or other closure member upon which it is to be used. The invention also contemplates the provision of a locking rod which requires only the simplest cooperating keeper on the post or wall to which the gate is to be locked.

I have illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention in the accompanying drawing wherein: l

Figure 'l is a side elevation of a pantographic type of gate to which my invention is particularly applicable;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical or longitudinal section through my improved locking rod showing the details of its construction and illustrating the manner in which it is secured to the gate illustrated in Figure l, the parts being shown in the position they assume when the gate is unlocked; y

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 2 but with the parts shown in locking position;

Figure 4 is a section on a still larger scale taken as indicated by the line 4-4 on Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section similar to the sections of Figures 2 and 3 but illustrating a slight modication of one of the features oi the invention.

As will be seen from the drawing, my improved locking rod includes a pair of elongated mem-v bers which are relatively movable in a longitu, dinal direction. Preferably these take the form of an outer tubular member 6 and an inner pinlike or locking member proper 1. the diameter of the pin being substantially less than the inside diameter of the tube. Centering means in the form of suitable washers 8 are secured to the pin and serve to guide the pin in its longitudinal movement within the tube 6. At the upper end the pin projects outwardly through a suitable opening in the tube and is bent around into the form of a handle-like loop 9 by meansof which the locking rod can be actuated. The loop 9 has a reentrant portion 9a which is adapted to project through either one of two longitudinally spaced openings I0 and II located in the wall of the tube 6 near its upper end. The portion 9a is provided with an undercut 9b which is adapted to embrace the adjacent edge of either of the openings III and II. v

Between the upper washer 8 and a loosevwasher I2 in the upper end of the tube, I provide a resilient means in the form of a coil spring I3 which normally tends to move the members 6 and l' to theposition shown in Figure 3, the washer I2 being arranged to-abut against the inwardly extending flange I2a. at the top of the tube.

Toward its lower end the tube 6 is provided with a pair of opposed lateral openings I4 formed by cutting the opposite walls of the tube into tongue-like portions I5 which are subsequently bent inwardly to form upwardly facing wedging surfaces as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The lower end of the pin 'I is bifurcated to provide the opposed locking portions I6 which are adapted to be expanded or bent outwardly by the wedging surfaces I5 when the tube 6 and the pin I are moved relatively so as to force the wedging surfaces between the bifurcated portions I6. When this occurs the lower ends of the bifurcations I6 are deflected outwardly and project through the openings i4 where they will cooperate with the keeper il. The parts should be arranged to cause the projection 0I' the bifurcations I6 to take place at a point below the encircling keeper Il so that the bifurcations will engage the undersurface of the keeper Il and prevent withdrawal of the -bolt from the keeper. This condition is shown in Figure 3. The keeper, it will be noted, can be of the simplest construction-the one I have illustrated being nothing more than an ordinary screw-eye which can be readily screwed into the wood of the adjacent post or wall I8 to which the gate is to be secured.

The gate I9 may be of the pantographic type having an inner end piece 20 which is permanent- 1y fastened to the post or wall ZI and an outer end piece 22 to which my improved locking rod is secured by means of-a pair of straps 23.

In Figure the wedging surface is made in a slightly different way. In this embodiment the metal of the tube 6 is cut out entirely to form the holes I4a and on the interior a solid Wedge I5a may be secured by means of a transverse pin 24, the wedge I5a being located of course, so as to cooperate with the openings I 4a and the bifurcations I6 of the pin in exactly the same way that the surfaces I5 cooperate with the corresponding parts in FiguresZ Iand 3.

From the `descripti x)'ilii; is Abelieved thatv the operation ofthe devieeiy'vill be ullyapparent but it might be said that normally the parts are held by the spring I3 in the relative positions illustrated in Figure 3, in which position the gateis firmly secured to the keeper I'I in such a WayV as tube, alateral opening 'in the tube, a wedge surface adjacent said opening', and a locking portion y on the pin adapted to be deflected so as to project through said opening to engage the keeper and to prevent a child from opening-'the "gate, However, an adult can easily graspthe handley. re-,frfg

move the end 9a from the opening II and bya slight pressure on the upper end of the tube'he can compress the springzl and then permit; the end 9a to enter the ripper opening vIII .as shown in Figure 2. `When lisidone the bifurcations I6, of course, will be pullerl.npwarlzllyl away from they -wedge surfaces 15. The bifurcations are made preferably of la isuitableyspringinetal so that they Will automatically 4approach each other as `they are retracted. When they assume the position in Figure,2, it will-be Iunderstood that therrod can be lifted upwardly until its lower end clears the keeper IJ, nwhereupon the'gate can be moved toits open position.

I claim: I f

l. ,A locking ,rodvadapted to icooperate with .a surrounding keeper, said rod :comprising a pair of elongated members which are relatively movable ina longitudinal direction, a locking portion on one of said members Vadaptedto be expanded so as to engage Vthe keeperand prevent withdrawal of the rod, and we dgngA means on .the other memberadapted to eiect said expansion ,prevent Withdrawal of the rod upon movement of the pin toward said Wedge surface.

VA locking 'rod in accordance with claim 3 ,having ,in Vaddition resilient means normally urging the pin toward said wedge surface.

5. A locking rod in accordance with claim 3 wherein the wall of the tube is cut to form a tongue portion which is bentinwardly to provide the lateral opening and the-wedge surface.

6. A locking rod .-in -accordance with claim 3 wherein the Wall :ofthe -tube is cut to form a tongue portion Awhich is Abent ,inwardly to provide the lateral `openingxand the Wedge surface and wherein'the end of the pin is .bifurcated to provide the said Vlocking portion.

GEORGE W.SCHWEITZER.

.REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date .1,189,787 Caddy July 4, 1916 1,513,308 vBerry Oct. 28, 1924 1,646,436 Booth Oct. 18, 1927 1,940,430 `Morterra Dec. 19, 1933 

